How the Home Office have cheated desperate disabled asylum seekers

BuzzFeed News today reported the terrifying reality that many disabled aslyum seekers in the UK face persecution in their homelands after being deported – despite actually being eligible for asylum here.

It has emerged that following a Zimbabwean woman being granted sanctuary here in 2015 when it was ruled she would face persecution back in her native land for being disabled, the Home Office recognised the dangers disabled people faced in many countries they had fled.

But almost three years on, it has been revealed that the Government have failed to update their published asylum policy to include this pledge, leaving many disabled refugees in danger of being deported needlessly as the Shadow home secretary vowed Labour would address the matter in the Houses of Parliament.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott told BuzzFeed News: “The Home Office under both Amber Rudd and Theresa May has failed a wide range of detainees, including people with disabilities.

“It is shocking but not surprising that immigration policy on disabilities has not been updated even after a legal ruling. This government has sought to create a ‘hostile environment’ for immigrants and has presided over chaos at the Home Office.

“Labour will be raising this issue at the first opportunity. We need a fair and humane immigration system, and no one should ever be deported who will then be subject to persecution.”